This invention relates to carpentry, building, and construction, and more particularly to an apparatus and method for driving multi-pronged fasteners into two or more boards.
My U.S. Pat. Nos. 5,684,324 and 5,927,923 describe two-and three-pronged fasteners that can be used to join adjacent deck boards to each other and/or to a joist below them while not being visible from the surface. My U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/271,962, filed Mar. 18, 1999, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,071,054 describes a three-prong fastener that is particularly useful in securing two deck boards to each other and to an underlying joist when the deck boards are oriented diagonally relative to the joists. This fastener is shown in FIG. 1 hereto, and is shown securing adjacent deck boards to each other in FIGS. 2 and 3.
FIG. 1 shows three-pronged fastener 500 with forward-facing prongs 514 and 516 and rearward-facing prong 515. FIG. 2 shows several such fasteners joining deck boards 508, 510 to each other and to joists 509, 511, 513, where deck boards 510 are oriented diagonally to joists 509, 511, 513. As shown in FIG. 3, forward facing prongs 514, 516 are first driven into deck board 508 and joist 513, respectively, and deck board 510 is then hammered against rearward-facing prong 515 to drive the latter into deck board 510.
Staple driving devices are used in carpentry, as well as building and construction work. In such uses, both points of a staple are typically driven into the same board or boards. My U.S. patent application Ser. No. 09/137,012, filed Aug. 20, 1998, now U.S. Pat. No. 6,098,865 describes a staple driving device that can be used to quickly, easily, and securely drive a two-pointed staple fastener into a deck board and a joist below it, such that the staple is not visible from above the deck. This device is shown in FIGS. 4-6 hereto. The staple driving device has alignment structure 10, driver 12, staples 14, magazine 16, alignment plate 18, handle 20, and hammer 22.
Alignment structure 10 has first board abutment surface 24 and second board abutment surface 26 which abut respectively first board surface 28 of first board 30 and second board surface 32 of second board 34. First board 30 is above second board 34. First board 30 and second board 34 are oriented to each other so as to form included angle 36, at junction 38 (indicated in FIG. 4) of less than 180xc2x0, e.g., approximately 90xc2x0, in FIGS. 4-6. Alignment structure 10 defines staple delivery channel 44. When abutment surfaces 24, 26 abut board surfaces 28, 32, staple delivery channel 44 is near junction 38. As seen in FIG. 5, the device is positioned to drive first point 40 of staple 14 into first board surface 28 and second point 42 of staple 14 into second board surface 32. Magazine 16 is fitted partially within alignment structure 10. Magazine 16 defines staple supply channel 48 which joins staple delivery channel 44, so that staples 14 which are retained within staple supply channel 48 may pass into staple delivery channel 44. Driver 12 has striking portion 50 with broadened striking head 52, stock 54, and driving portion 56. Driver 12 is slidably fitted within alignment structure 10. Driving portion 56 is sized to be capable of sliding within staple delivery channel 44. Alignment plate 18 is fastened to alignment structure 10 so that it can abut third board surface 64 of first board 30. The device has handle 20, having grips 66 fastened to alignment structure 10. As shown in FIG. 6, the device has two internal springs 68 disposed within driving channel 62 so that, when driver 12 is driven forward, by a hammer blow delivered to striking head 52, for example, internal springs 68 are compressed between stock 54 of driver 12 and compression surface 70 that bounds driving channel 62 within alignment structure 10.
The invention, in general, features a device for driving a first prong of a multi-pronged fastener into an adjacent board and bending a second fastener prong, so that it has a desired orientation with respect to the board. The device includes an alignment structure, a first driver, and a second driver. The alignment structure has a first abutment surface for abutting one of the boards. The alignment structure defines a fastener delivery channel that ends near the junction of the boards. The first and second drivers are movably connected to the alignment structure. The first driver is positioned so as to be able to contact the fastener and to drive the first prong into one of the boards. The second driver is positioned so as to be able to contact the second prong and bend it angularly with respect to the first prong.
In operation, the abutment surface of the alignment structure is brought into contact with one of the boards. The first driver is activated, so that it impacts a fastener situated in the fastener delivery channel and drives the first prong into one of the boards. The second driver is also activated so that it impacts the second prong and bends it angularly with respect to the first prong.
Preferred embodiments are adapted to drive a three-pronged fastener, so as to join a first deck board to a joist beneath it, where the first deck board and joist are oriented at right angles to each other, and to bend a rearward-facing prong, so that it projects from the first deck board at approximately a 90xc2x0 angle, so that the rearward-facing prong is positioned to be driven into a second deck board. Alternately, the device may be adapted to drive fasteners and bend prongs at any desired angle.
Preferred embodiments include a third driver for bending the third prong, which extends from the board, in an alternate direction. Embodiments with a third driver may include a mechanism for detecting the orientation of the upper board and selectively engaging either the second or third driver for bending the third prong in either of two directions. Mechanical catches, levers, linkages, wedges, rollers, springs, pivots, as well as electrical, electromagnetic, magnetic, hydraulic, or pneumatic devices may be used to selectively engage either the second or third driver. The second and third drivers may be activated, so as to impact and bend the third prong, by the motion of elements connected to the first driver. In other embodiments, the second or third driver may be connected to the first driver, so that all drivers are activated simultaneously.
Preferred embodiments further include an alignment plate, attached to the alignment structure. The alignment plate may be spaced relative to the fasteners to align the prongs for driving them into boards, when the alignment plate abuts one of the boards. Preferred embodiments further also include a magazine containing a plurality of multi-pronged fasteners to be driven successively into boards, a handle for grasping the device, or springs to return the drivers and other components to their initial positions after the fasteners are driven and/or bent.
The force required to activate the drivers may be supplied manually, or by a pneumatic, hydraulic, elastic, electrical, electromagnetic, electrostatic, magnetic, combustion, or explosive device. For example, the force may be provided by a hammer blow, gunpowder, a spring, an electric motor, an internal combustion engine, or a compressed air device. The force required to activate the drivers may be supplied from an offset orientation, for example, with cams, rollers, or linkages.
Embodiments of the invention may include one or more of the following advantages. The device may be used to drive different points of a multi-pronged fastener into one or more boards and to bend another prong in a desired direction. The device may facilitate connecting boards in a way that conceals the fasteners. The device may reduce workers"" time in building, construction, or carpentry work. The device may be adapted to hold a plurality of fasteners. Fasteners may be driven and bent in one continuous operation. One source may provide the energy required to drive and bend respective prongs of the fasteners. The device may be used with fasteners that have any cross-sectional profile, for example, round, circular, square, or rectangular. The fasteners may be made of a metal, such as steel, copper, aluminum, a metal alloy, or any suitable material. The device can be used with boards of wood, foam, plastic, fiberglass, or any suitable material.
The details of one or more embodiments of the invention are set forth in the accompanying drawings and the description below. Other features, objects, and advantages of the invention will be apparent from the description and drawings, and from the claims.